Bio-butanol vs. bio-ethanol: A technical and economic assessment for corn and switchgrass fermented by yeast or Clostridium acetobutylicum |
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Authors: | Peter H. Pfromm Vincent Amanor-Boadu Richard Nelson Praveen Vadlani Ronald Madl |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, 1005 Durland Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;2. Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;3. Center for Sustainable Energy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;4. Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA |
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Abstract: | Fermentation-derived butanol is a possible alternative to ethanol as a fungible biomass-based liquid transportation fuel. We compare the fermentation-based production of n-butanol vs. ethanol from corn or switchgrass through the liquid fuel yield in terms of the lower heating value (LHV). Industrial scale data on fermentation to n-butanol (ABE fermentation) or ethanol (yeast) establishes a baseline at this time, and puts recent advances in fermentation to butanol in perspective. A dynamic simulation demonstrates the technical, economic and policy implications.The energy yield of n-butanol is about half that of ethanol from corn or switchgrass using current ABE technology. This is a serious disadvantage for n-butanol since feedstock costs are a significant portion of the fuel price. Low yield increases n-butanol's life-cycle greenhouse gas emission for the same amount of LHV compared to ethanol. A given fermenter volume can produce only about one quarter of the LHV as n-butanol per unit time compared to ethanol. This increases capital costs. The sometimes touted advantage of n-butanol being more compatible with existing pipelines is, according to our techno-economic simulations insufficient to alter the conclusion because of the capital costs to connect plants via pipeline. |
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